From the cradle

By Simon SharwoodJune 28 2003
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Tiny, sticky fingers reach over the edge of the desk and search until they find their target. It's then that the keyboard mashing begins ...

It is a scene played out in homes across the country. Young people are drawn to bright screens and intricate keys - computers are natural playthings. Before long they are connecting to the net, spending time in chat rooms and playing games.

Dr Susan Hill, associate professor of early childhood education at the University of South Australia, says today's children are "digital natives", while their parents, by contrast, are "digital immigrants".

Yet, because parents will be called upon to make decisions about how and when their children use technology, Hill recommends that parents educate themselves so their children can get the best out of computers. "As adults, we have to upgrade our own skills so we can make it happen for our kids," she says.

One way parents can start the process of becoming informed digital immigrants is to develop an understanding of the role computers play in children's lives, so they can make good decisions about when and how to let their digital education begin.
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But how soon should youngsters be let on the home PC? Are there risks, apart from the chance they might break expensive technology?

Opinions on the matter are diverse, but Jane Roberts, vice-president of Young Media Australia, an advocacy organisation with a national focus on the interests of children and young people in relation to print, electronic and screen based media, says parents must be careful not to introduce computers to the home because they feel they are essential to education.

"Marketers are very clever and try to hook in parents by talking about accelerated learning," she says. "But parents should realise that reading to children and having lots of books around the house is just as likely to help them develop literacy skills early."

John Davidson, chair of the Steiner Schools Association, believes computers need not be introduced until adolescence. Steiner schools do not expose children to computers until year 9, with Davidson articulating the Steiner philosophy that play " ... should be about working in the world and doing real things. That doesn't demean computers or say it isn't appropriate when they are older. We just feel that there is no argument to justify encountering it too early."

Another perspective is that there is no harm in responding to children's curiosity about computers - and that the earlier they start the quicker they learn. "It is short-sighted to deny children access to computers, which are just a tool we use to express ourselves," says Hill. "We see children of 18 months operating video recorders. It makes no sense to deny them access to a computer."

Genelle Godbee, an early childhood lecturer at the University of Newcastle, says that whenever a child shows an interest in computers parents can "let them go for it".

"It is generally felt that it is appropriate to base a child's experiences on their observed needs and interests."

Avoiding the risks

Letting a child use a computer alone, however, is not the way to start. Experts from all areas of early childhood education agree that parental or adult involvement is critical to ensure children enjoy the benefits of technology and can be helped to recognise its pitfalls.

Perhaps the biggest risk is that computers can actually disrupt a child's development. Michael McDowell, a Brisbane developmental paediatrician in private practice, says children up to two years old need lots of human interaction, which teaches them how words and emotions mix.

McDowell, who has just completed the Royal Australasian College of Physicians' first ever policy on children and multimedia, says computers cannot teach human interaction. "Research suggests that the first couple of years are the most important for developing deep-level interpersonal interaction skills," he says. "Machines don't allow creative or imaginative play, they pre-structure what children do."

McDowell points out that children's need for interaction can be satisfied when parents and children use a computer together.

"If parents want their kids to use a computer they must do it with their child so they are interacting," he says.

Alicia Flack, a Sydney trainer of child-care workers who has devised a workshop on computers in early childhood, agrees that interaction is critical, even when computers are used in the classroom.

"You need an environment that allows the children to work together with two or more people on each computer so it is not seen as an isolated tool to occupy a child's time alone," she says. "Whatever you do, it needs to be interactive, either among children or between children and adults."

Working with youngsters when they use a computer also helps avoid risks such as obsessive use or becoming sedentary. Parents therefore need to interact with their children so they can control the time spent in front of the computer. Susan Hill is careful to point out that children have as much chance of becoming sedentary from reading too much as they do using a computer. Making computer use a joint activity will also help to prevent young children encountering inappropriate material.

What to switch on

If you've made the decision to introduce your child to computers, where should you start?

Genelle Godbee believes that some very basic software is a good place to begin, and children as young as 12-18 months can benefit. A media player with animated visualisations can be an interesting way to introduce a child to computers by adding a new dimension to music, while a basic paint program such as Windows Paint offers good tools to unleash the imagination. As children grow, she recommends introducing them to letters and numbers using a keyboard, perhaps even printing them out, one to a page. Eventually, children will be ready to use programs designed to amuse and educate.

There are simple educational games that preschoolers can play, either on the web at sites such as Sesame Street, The Wiggles and ABC for Kids or bought on CD-ROMs at retail outlets. Both provide activities that are clearly targeted at specific age groups.

However, multi-level games that impose complex rules can frustrate younger children and limit what can be achieved - they are not recommended until users are at least eight.

Software that encourages children to explore without predefined goals is preferable. Iain Vaile, head of content for ABC New Media, says creating this kind of open-ended play with computers requires "activities".

Vaile, who oversees the ABC Online's "The Playground", says the site is designed to be explored from the very first page, using hidden pictures for navigation instead of text. He also says that good activities for children include some repetitive elements but avoid competitive elements. "With an activity like colouring, it's impossible to fail," he says. "When we do offer a game, it is very carefully calibrated to ensure it can be solved."

Whatever decisions you make about your children's use of computers, perhaps the most important consideration is that computers should be only one part of childhood, and certainly not a part that takes away from the messy fun of being a kid.

"It's important to see computers as just another part of the environment that helps to educate a child," says Alicia Flack. "The kitchen can be educational, too."

Jane Roberts agrees and worries that parents may substitute computers for "real" play. "Parents may think it is not safe to let their kids go to a park but feel safe when their child is using a computer because they're in the house." Roberts even worries that some kids spend more time playing computer sports games than they do real sports. These games can be found on well-marketed websites and even on CD-ROMs that accompany cereal boxes.

"Technology is not detrimental to children if it is used as just one tool," she says. "Experiencing a computer is a very positive thing because they play such a big part in the workplace and in education.

"But let's not let that take over what is really important for young children: engaging physically, learning how to problem solve, learning how to negotiate the real world. This is all about balance and parents have to play their part so their kids get the best of what technology has to offer."

The ABC's site for kids, with online activities and downloads galore. Parents will find the "grown-ups" sections especially useful as they provide notes on the lessons children can learn on the website or on ABC TV for kids.

This hilarious weblog is written by a two-year-old boy from Melbourne with a lot of help from his dad.

Infofile

Adjustable chairs and/or desks will help children get into an ergonomically safe position. Alicia Flack recommends that monitors be positioned so children don't need to strain their necks or eyes to see them. Flack's classroom experience also leads her to recommend that five to 10 minutes of use will be enough to tire small eyes. Keyboards and mice scaled down for smaller hands are also available through www.ittybitty.com.au, while increasing the size of the mouse pointer and slowing down its movement helps make it easier for kids to see what is happening on screen.